Author Topic: Little man in my yard (Read 3507 times)

Bearb · « **on:** March 20, 2010, 02:26:05 PM »

Shortly after my daughter was born, I met a little man about 3 1/2 inches tall; his name is Mr. Burroughs. He decided to come live in my yard. More accurately he built a home under/inside one of my oak trees (as his kind is wont to do. . .). I think he must have raided my workshope for some of his supplies, I see he braced his door with some of my guitar fretwire and I recognize some of the wood from my stash. I am the only one who has/will met him, but as my children grow up, they will hear many of the tales Mr. Burroughs has shared with me. Over time he will expand his range of my yard and slowly new traces of his existence will be discovered. Since these pictures were taken, he has already planted himself a front and back lawn of moss around his tree.

I would love for him to make his presence known near/around the pond. Any ideas. Keep in mind that he prefers subtlety, his traces should be "discovered" not hitting anyone over the head saying look at me. . .

The front door is for visitors, most of his comings and goings are through the back leading straight down under the tree.

Teresa · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2010, 06:26:58 PM »

Way, way cool. Wish I had a little guy living in my yard . . .

Esther · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2010, 07:25:50 PM »

Cute, somebody I think somebody else here does that. Wait, maybe that was on another forum. I'll go ask. I think he should have a tiny boat nestled in the reeds. If he had a pond in his yard, would 3" across work?

Bearb · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2010, 08:05:33 PM »

I thought about a little boat. I haven't figured out how to keep it from filling with rain water and getting all nasty. I also thought about building a tiny peir for him to fish from. . .

Roark · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2010, 08:27:56 PM »

That is SO cool!

Roark

Ky Kim · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2010, 08:29:05 PM »

That would probably be me Esther. My neighbor and I use to do stuff to his tree all the time. Cootsville.

Julles · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2010, 06:31:07 AM »

Hey Bearb, and Esther - yes, that was me. That is EXACTLY the kind of thing I am going to be selling two weeks from now, at the big Round Top (Texas) Arts, Crafts, Antiques, and Junque festival. I call them Elf Doors.

I (I mean, the ELVES) make them from fence boards, different colors of paint, and add all sorts of decorative doo-dads. Most have real windows, with glass marbles inside to provide color. Wish I could post photos - I'm so technologically challanged!

Wish me luck! This will be my first time to sell, and I hope to make a good profit. I sure HOPE I do, as I really need to find a home for 150 of those Elf Doors!

Bearb, your photos and comments have given me some ideas. For one thing, people say my doors are "aDOORable," but they don't seem to know what to do with them. So I try to educate them about putting them in the garden or in a kid's room. Now I realize I should take along an elf or gnome or fairy doll, and, if I can possibly find one, a tree stump or log. Photos aren't enough - you've got to catch their eye (and imagination) from afar, as they are walking past and glancing at your booth.

Esther · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2010, 09:35:33 AM »

Bearb and Julles

OHHHH Kim and I could help you out big time. I'm visualizing a display of a hollowed out tree stump------------ohhhhh my mind is scrambling now!!!! Go to your yard and look on the north side of stuff and find some green moss. If you put a little soil down and dampen it, it'll stay green. Spray it with water if it seems to be drying out. That could be the yard outside the door with your little rocks, tiny animals... go to a hobby shop where they sell stuff for railroad scenes and get some ideas. OH you need a tiny flag to hang by the door, a doghouse, mailbox, even a stream or pond. Or Google miniature outdoor scenes or railroad layout stuff..I have gobs of stuff that would work. Think about what you have around your home or just in the lawn that is dried and you could spray paint it to look like trees etc. Pieces of that sponge with the irregular holes could be small bushes. For one thing, that tree stump that you use for display, wouldn't have to be a whole one as it would be horrible heavy.Maybe just a verticle slice of the front or half of it.

I once saw where a lady who ran a miniature store had been given a section of hollow tree. The walls were only a couple inches thick and there was maybe 3/4 of the circumference of the tree. About a quarter of the outside was gone and it was hollow. She had inserted like shelves with tiny stairways going between the levels and each level was a different room. It was adorable.

Hey will you call your venture Adoorable Doors? My spell check doesn't like the way I spelled adoorable.

If you are going to tackle something like this, let me know. I have stuff I could send you to use. I was big time into minatures but no longer do it. I have a whole room with a desk, two chest of drawers, a dresser, a metal cabinet, and two bookshelves full of stuff. It was my workshop.

Wasn't there an old kid's story about trolls living under a bridge? You could do a bridge over a gully and put a door under it as if a troll lived there. HMM, something about Billy Goats gruff. Gonna look that one up.

Pondering · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2010, 09:59:05 AM »

What a great idea!

I remember seeing this in a magazine and thinking oh that's cute , but didn't think it would really fit in my backyard... but now that i have a pond it kind-of would really look cute! I could picture him leaving behind a wee little hat that most likely flew off in the wind.

A little lunch pail would be cute too!

Julles you'll have to figure out how to get those pics posted, or e-mail me... I'd much rather support a fellow crafter than a magazine.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2010, 10:19:27 AM »

I'm thinking the little man needs a little lady.

Esther · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:05:46 AM »

What scale are you guys working with? I used mostly 1" to 1' but half inch wouldn't be bad.

Ky Kim · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2010, 12:28:59 PM »

Here are a few photos from Cootsville as the neighbor calls his. He's all in to it, let me tell ya. Already planing the back side of the tree. I haven't taken any current pictures in awhile, its changed alot since these. Yup, his lights in the windows really light up. I used fimo translucent clay for the window and he has tiny wires ran in through the bark on the tree. The little fairy house on the left is the supplier. Its a big square battery.

mazoe · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2010, 03:04:33 PM »

This is so cute. I have the perfect place for one of those doors.

Julles · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2010, 02:11:44 PM »

I went on Freecycle, and also our neighborhood e-group, but couldn't drum up a suitable tree stump. Then, at PetSmart's reptile department, I found a nice alternative - a real log with real bark, cut in half lengthwise and hollowed out, light weight, about 15" tall, $12. It's flat on the ends, so it will stand upright, and I can lean an Elf Door against it.

Then I got smarter and went to an old cemetery where I'm doing volunteer work to clean up, and searched there. Found some cool old bark - when it's old (rotting trees abound here), it loosens from the tree easily, in one big round hunk. Will work great to show off an Elf Door.

I kept looking and found, I couldn't believe it, except that I had found two lucky pennies on the ground when leaving PetSmart, right there in the cemetery was an old tree stump, a small tree, cut to about 18" tall, complete with gnarly bark and spreading roots, just the right size to nestle an Elf Door.

Not more than 15 lbs, so easy to carry. All I have to do is hit it with the hose and a scrub brush and we're good to go!

Esther · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:10:44 PM »

If you run across a tool called Dremel and can afford it----buy it. It has lots of bits and you can cut metal with a cutting wheel, sand inside small stuff with the sanding drum, drill, router, grind, polish, engrave, and lots of stuff. I use mine a lot on craft stuff. Pete steals mine every so often on some of his projects. It's about the size of a large screwdriver handle and has an adjustable speed control. My first one was given to me in '76 and it died a couple of years ago. So I got a new one as I was so used to using it.

Bearb · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2010, 06:05:32 PM »

Lots of good ideas here!

The doors in my yard are (now) part of my tree. The back/cellar door is built to fit right between two roots but the front door is mounted in the living part of tree. That layer just below the bark was cut open to match the shape of the door frame so that the tree would develop a scar there and grow around the door jamb (it will take a few more years to be really solid. . .) I would not recommend this to your customers though as it could be dangerous to the tree. In my case the door size and shape was dictated by the spot on the tree it was going to fit. I estimate it only cut into (less than) 5% of the circumference of the tree. This should be easily overcome by a tree this size. An alternative you could suggest is to attach them to the tree with great stuff expanding foam (a little bit) and paint the foam that billows out an earth tone to simulate that root burl effect that trees get when they are damaged and healed over. That way it won't look like it is just leaning against a tree.

Jules I have a few ideas for accessories for your display. To make a firewood pile, trim some limbs (with a diameter scaled to your door to represent a log) cut it to length and split it just like you would firewood. You can use a dull chisel and split along the immaginary line that runs from the edge to the center of the limb (see drawing).

I also have an idea to add chimneys to the tree. I am picturing a length of small diameter pipe with some sort of cap that can be driven into the ground at the base of the tree.

What are you coating your doors with? You want to make sure that it will hold up to the elements for several years. In my case all of the woods were selected because they are highly rot resistant (western red cedar, osage orange and an African mahogany) I used oil finishes because I wanted everything to weather slowly and become part of the landscape, hopefully looking like it has been there for a long time.

Rad Michelle · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2010, 06:24:12 PM »

This is amazing! You could keep the little boat affloat by attaching the bottom to something like a chop stick and sticking the other end in a marginal pot. Or even build a little camp fire w wood t-p'd up and a scewer across it on the shore by the boat.

OldMarine · « **Reply #17 on:** March 22, 2010, 10:16:11 PM »

I've seen quite few of those little foot prints, but no sightings just yet.

Esther · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2010, 09:45:48 AM »

Bearb,
Could you use this little pond? It's about 4" across. It's made out of baked clay (FIMO) and resin. There are little fish in the resin.

Bearb · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2010, 12:15:07 PM »

That is really cool Esther (I wish I was that talented).

I don't think it would fit in with story though. Mr. Burroughs is a little man who lives in a large world. The only things that are in a scale to fit him are the things he makes himself. Little birds and fish just wouldn't fit. . . I do plan to add minnows to the pond for him to eat; a rosey red would be quite a meal for him. We have an agreement that he won't eat the goldies. . . In return, I planted pickerel rush, he loves the seeds. He also gets the seed pods from my redbud tree, the little mushrooms that grow each spring and all the acorns he can handle. All in all, he has it pretty good here. He is a woodworker by trade and is gong to start making doll house furniture for my daughter. It will represent a bit of a challenge since the furniture will be too big for him.

Esther · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2010, 12:43:45 PM »

How tall is Mr. Burroughs? So what would the scale be for him? I also have a rowboat but am afraid it might be too large. Also, the rowboat wouldn't have to float, it could be pulled up on the shore waiting for the next time he needs to use it. Trouble is whenever it rains, it'd get full of water.

What scale dollhouse furniture will he make for your daughter?

Bearb · « **Reply #21 on:** March 23, 2010, 01:09:17 PM »

He is about 3 1/2 inches tall (just a shade over half scale) He will be making 1 inch scale (1/12) furniture. Slowly she can graduate from the plastic toy furniture/house into a nicer display set up.
At some point I will probably make a boat for him. I've been tempted to build a scaled down boat from a real plan just for the challenge. Making a water tight vessel that will float is not the problem, but I couldn't leave it out all the time because it would fill with rain water and get scummy. It could be pulled ashore and turned over when not in use, then every now and then it could be found floating tied off to the rocks.

Julles · « **Reply #22 on:** March 23, 2010, 04:45:55 PM »

Thanks for the good ideas, gals. I like the Great Stuff (Esther's favorite stuff

) - will suggest it to my buyers.

Bearb, my doors are cedar fence pickets (original ones were pressure treated, but they are too hard to cut and too heavy, plus I don't like breathing the dust) colored with wood stain or diluted paint, and then sealed with exterior grade marine spar, so they should last outdoors.

I like the idea of making a little scene, more than just the stump. Will think about how to do that,,,maybe the firewood, etc.

Bearb · « **Reply #23 on:** March 23, 2010, 05:53:15 PM »

Cedar and spar varnish is a good combo for outdoors, you'll be fine. . .

Does this mean I am one of the girls now?

Julles · « **Reply #24 on:** March 29, 2010, 09:03:18 AM »

Bearb, I hope you don't mind... I copied much of your story, using a cute "foresty" font and nice colors, and will put it next to the display of my Elf Doors. I think it will help people understand how to use the doors, and hopefully encourage them to buy one (or more!).

I am leaving early tomorrow (Tuesday) for 5 days selling at the craft venue. The van is packed floor to ceiling, front to back!! I am excited, and have good expectations. I'll let ya'all know how it went when I get back.

Bearb · « **Reply #25 on:** March 29, 2010, 09:19:14 AM »

Cool Julles, I hope it goes well; keep me posted. There is actually a lot more to the story(ies) about this guy, complete with other types of creatures with their own anatomies, societies and behaviors. The interactions of all of these creatures (as relayed to me by Mr. Burroughs) provide my kids with stories and lessons as they grow up. Someday I plan to compile a book about me and Mr. Burroughs and the other creatures, but not until I am older and have more free time (retirement).

Bryan

Julles · « **Reply #26 on:** March 29, 2010, 06:47:27 PM »

I already told you about the cool-o tree stump I am using as a sales prop. Today I got a metal baking pan with low sides, will spread split peas across the bottom (to look like grass), and I have a mirror that will make a "lake." I got a tiny toy set of chicks (don't know why they were more appealing to me than the toy squirrel, 'cause I'm not sure elves keep chickens, but that was what I was drawn to buy), so I can make a little scene.

I got a bottle cap, spray painted it black, sprayed some gravel red and glued that inside, and then cut some red celophane to look like flames, and glued that in, too, to make a camp fire, and will use bits of sticks for firewood. I have some miniature concrete mushrooms to stick in the tree stump. The star of all this will be a little leprechan figurine (I couldn't find any elves the right scale

), sitting in the middle of it all. I think it will all look cute, and will give people the idea that they can create their own little habitat in their own back yards, like Bearb's.

I'll let you know next week how it all went!